The Man I Thought You Were
by Gabriel's Demonic Angel
Summary: Angel and Paul have been married for only one year, and now he's not who he was before. To escape the abuse, she swiches brands. Will this help her or break her? All is not as it appears. And she has some unexpected help. Rated M for mentioned abuse.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except Angel. The rest are property of themselves and Vince McMahon, except Kat; she's property of one of my friends. Oh, and the plot is owned by my subconscious as I came up with this story from a dream I had. Well, R&R. Bye.

Prologue: The Past

Angel was 21 when she met her husband, Paul Levesque. Paul wasn't what she usually looked for in a man. He was big; tall with bulging muscles intimidated her immensely. He had a handsome face but with the brains to back it up, too.

Paul had saved her from two idiots who were following her and their relationship escalated from there.

-Flashback-

Angel walked along the street, headed for the hotel the RAW roster was staying at. She took a side glance at the window she was passing, and noticed the two idiots from the club just down the street were still following her.

She entered the lobby of the hotel, but was soon followed by the idiots. She headed towards the elevators. When she got to them, she pushed the up button. She waited a little while, hoping the idiots would leave before the elevator arrived.

Just when the two idiots started towards her, Paul Levesque walked up to her.

"Hey, baby. Sorry I'm late. Traffic was murder. I couldn't find you at the…club down the street, so I headed over here." Paul said, hugging Angel.

"Well, I wasn't going to stay there that long. Besides, you were supposed to meet me there two hours ago. Where were you, dear?" Angel responded, none of her confusion showing in her words as she hugged him back, playing along.

"I was at the gym with some of the guys and just left there a hour ago. I told you traffic was murder, Baby." he replied.

Before Angel could say anything, the elevator door opened before Paul and herself. He led her into the elevator and, as he caught another glance of the two idiots who had been following the woman beside him, he glared darkly at the two.

-Lobby-

"Dude, who was that?" Idiot one asked.

"Seemed like her boyfriend to me. Isn't he Triple H?" Idiot two responded.

"He looked like the guy. But I thought he was married to his boss' daughter. Wasn't he?"

"They divorced, moron. So, you still think we got a shot with her?"

"*sigh* Not anymore. Let's go back to the bar, man."

The two then left the hotel and went back to the bar down the street.

-Elevator-

Paul looked down at the woman in the elevator with him. He recognized her as the new diva on RAW. She just started with the company two months ago, and he had yet to be able to meet her; until now.

Angel looked out of the corner of her eye at Paul. She knew who he was. She'd have to be blind, deaf, and dumb to not know who he was. She finally, however, couldn't contain her confusion any longer, and decided to question him.

"Um…thanks, but why did you help me?" she questioned.

"Actually, I'm not really sure myself other than the fact I just couldn't let two sleaze balls take advantage of a co-worker as beautiful as you. Plus, seeing as we ARE co-workers now, we should look out for one another, right?" Paul stated then questioned with a grin.

"Nice answer." she said, sarcasm dripping from her words, though the smile on her face belied the tone of her voice.

"So, what are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"Well, I'm going to my room, alone, and going to sleep, and you?"

"The same, probably."

"Good. We wouldn't want the Game to be sleepy for his match tomorrow; now would we?"

"Nope." he chuckled at her teasing tone. "So, what are you doing tomorrow night?"

"The same thing I do every night."

"And that would be?"

The elevator stopped at her floor.

"You may find out tomorrow; if you're good that is." She then exited the elevator at her floor, "Goodnight, Mr. Levesque. Have a pleasant night." she waved and then went to her hotel room as he went up to the next floor and to his room.

-End Flashback-

They then started to go out at least once a week. Paul was a great guy who treated her almost as if she were glass in some instances while other times he treated like the diva she was and, no matter the respect she deserved. He never hit her or threatened her.

It took two years, however, for him to convince her to marry him.

-Flashback-

Angel was home for a little bit on injury and was bored out of her mind. She never knew Melina could hit that hard before. She knew Melina hadn't meant to hurt her ankle, so she wasn't mad, but she really hated being out of work because she was injured.

Angel was pulled from her thoughts by the doorbell going off. She hadn't been expecting anyone, so she cautiously approached the door, ready to pummel the person with her crutches if they tried to do anything she didn't approve of. When she opened the door, however, she nearly fell over in shock at the person on her doorstep.

Paul was holding a bouquet of over two dozen red roses and was wearing a nice, black, long, button up shirt over his black tank top, the buttons up the shirt completely unbuttoned, and he was wearing black jeans that showed off his ass perfectly with a pair of black tennis shoes to complete the ensemble. Plainly, he looked sexy as hell and perfectly gorgeous.

"Paul, what are you doing here? I didn't know you had time off." Angel said in shock.

"Well, I talked to Vince and we rescheduled my break. Can I come in?" he replied.

"Oh, uh…yeah, come on in. So, why are you all dressed up for?" she asked after he entered the house.

"No reason. Just wanted to ask you to go out with me." he replied.

"Oh. Sure. Just let me get dressed." she stated, going upstairs.

Twenty minutes later, she came down in a small, black dress that went down to her knees, was spaghetti strapped, crisscrossed in the back, with thigh high hoses, and black strapping high heels to complete her look. Her right foot was in an ace bandage. She was happy it wasn't broken, or she wouldn't be able to wear her heels. They then left after she put the roses in a vase. Paul took them to a nice restaurant for dinner.

"Honey, this is beautiful." Angel commented.

"Not as beautiful as you." Paul stated, holding her hand in his, smiling.

After their dinner, Paul grabbed her hand and pulled her up out of her seat and to the dance floor, being careful of her sprained ankle. They danced close together, slowly, for almost an hour. Once they were done, they left to a park nearby. Angel shivered slightly as a light breeze blew by. Paul removed his top shirt and put it around her shoulders, and put his arm around her shoulders as well, to keep her warm. They soon stopped at a gazebo overlooking a beautiful lake in the middle of the park.

"Oh, Paul, it's beautiful here. Thank you for bringing me out her. It was really sweet of you." she said softly.

"It's not over, yet, Baby. There's one last thing I'd like to do tonight." he replied.

"What is it?"

"Angel, we've been together now for two years and I just can't see me living the rest of my life without you in it. Baby, marry me. Stay with me forever, or until we both grow old and die, whichever comes first. Please," Paul got down on one knee, pulled a box from his pocket, and opened it to reveal a silver banded ring with a medium sized sapphire in the shape of a rose in the center of a leaf, "Marry me, my little Angel?"

"Oh, Paul, it's so beautiful, but you didn't have to do all this for me to marry you. I'd marry you even if you tied a piece of string around my finger for an engagement ring."

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes. I'll marry you."

"Good. I wasn't going to take no for an answer anyway."

She rolled her eye, the smile never leaving her face, as he grinned before slipping the ring onto her finger. He then kissed her deeply before lifting her up into his arms, never breaking the kiss as he carried her back to his car near the park. After reaching his car and getting in, he drove them back to her house. She invited him in and they cuddled for the rest of the night on the couch and eventually fell asleep during the early morning hours.

-End Flashback-

A year afterwards they got married in front of their families and friends. They had their honeymoon in Hawaii. Life was good. However, recently, a whole year after the wedding, Paul had changed. He acted differently from before. He just turned into a completely different person one night. Maybe she didn't know him as well as she thought she did.

A.N.: Well, here's the first chappy. I hope you enjoyed it. Don't worry; things aren't what they seem with Paul. Just give it a shot and keep reading, please. R&R. Bye.


	2. Chapter 1: The Change

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except Angel. The rest are property of themselves and Vince McMahon, except Kat; she's property of one of my friends. Oh, and the plot is owned by my subconscious as I came up with this story from a dream I had. Well, R&R. Bye.

Chapter 1: The Change

Angel walked down the hall of the arena to Vince's office. When she arrived, she knocked on the door and waited to be allowed in.

"Come in." a male voice said.

She entered the office, seeing Vince talking with Stephanie and Shane.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Mr. Chairman., but I'd like to talk to you." Angel said, getting straight to the point.

"Can it wait till after RAW tonight?" Vince questioned.

"No, sir, it can't. I really want this to be my last night on RAW, Mr. Chairman."

"You're quitting?"

"No, and I hope that my forwardness doesn't get me fired either, sir. I'd just like to be transferred over to either ECW or SmackDown."

"Why?"

"I don't trust my husband with my safety anymore."

"Why?"

"I can't say, sir. It's personal and I don't believe in mixing my personal life with my professional life. And, please, before you say anything, think of it this way, sir, I won't be tempted to cause a scene if I'm not here."

"Ok. I'll give you my answer later on tonight after RAW. Hell, I may even give it to you during RAW. You'll have my answer tonight, Angel. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm in a meeting."

"Uh…sorry, sir. Thank you. Bye, sir."

After she left the room, Angel walked back down to the gym to get a little training and exercise in.

~Several hours later~

It was two hours before RAW and Angel was in her locker room, getting ready to take a shower before getting ready for RAW that night. Before she got to the divider between the shower and the locker room, there was a knock at the door. She went to the door, opened it, and was greeted with a stagehand who handed her a script.

"Uh…thanks." She said as he left to continue his jobs.

She closed the door while scanning over the script, heading over to the bench with her clothes. She soon came to the part that had been changed. It seemed Mr. McMahon was going to give her, her answer during the few minutes before the Main Event tonight.

She then went to get her shower, placing the script onto the bench. She didn't hear the door to her locker room open and then close. She didn't notice the presence behind her until two muscular arms wrapped around her waist and pulled back into a hard, naked, wet, muscled chest. She started to struggle against the restraining arm; not knowing or realizing who was behind her.

"Baby, it's me. Stop moving." The person said just loud enough for her to hear him.

Angel froze as she registered who exactly was behind her.

"Paul. What are y…you doing in h…here?" she questioned nervously.

"What? I can't come and see my wife anymore?" Paul countered.

"No, no. Of course you can, but I thought you were going to be too busy to see me today." She replied quickly.

"So, you don't want me here, my little Angel?" he asked slightly narrowing his eyes.

"No, Baby. That's not it. I love you. Of course I want you here, Honey." She answered.

"Good. So, what are you doing tonight?"

"I'm going to be hanging out with some of the girls." She answered, finishing up her shower and getting out while toweling off; she did not look at him the entire time.

"Who else will be there?" he questioned as they headed into the main locker area of the room.

"Um…just a few of the guys; maybe." She answered nervously.

"Which guys?" he asked getting more and more pissed off as the minutes passed.

"Just Jeff, Cena, Randy, and, maybe, Jericho?" she answered in a questioning kind of way.

"No."

"What?"

"I said, 'no'. You're not going and that's that."

"But, I've already told the girls that I'd go with them."

"And, which girls are going?"

"Kat, Maria, Mickie, Beth, Melina, and Ashley."

"Then that changes everything." He said sarcastically.

"I'm going, Paul, and you can't stop me."

"Oh really, you think so?" he said glaring darkly.

"Paul, what are you going to d…do to s…stop me?"

"Oh, I won't need to do anything much to stop you. All I have to do is make sure to keep you preoccupied. Then, no one can have the chance to steal you from me." He said with a smirk.

"What do you mean?"

"I know something very important to you, who will keep you in line, Baby. So, 'Jeffy' is going?" he whispered and then asked, the smirk never leaving his face.

"You leave Jeff alone, Asshole. How dare you threaten him like that, Paul? He's my best friend and if you touch him or hurt him, I'll never forgive you. I won't let you hurt my friend." Angel stated, angry with her husband for threatening her friend.

Angel was soon, however, on the floor holding her cheek. She looked up at him, as her approached her slightly trembling form, with fear in her eyes. Who was this being in her husband's body? Paul had seemingly slipped away from her. Had he found someone else, but seeing as he was married he couldn't be with them, so he took his anger and frustration out on her? What was wrong? What had happened? What had happened to her husband? He grabbed her wrists once he was towering over her shaking form.

"You're mine, Angel. This ring on your finger proves that you are my property, so don't even think about going to your little Jeffrey. I. Own. You. Get used to it, Baby." He stated angrily while pulling her to himself by the tight grip he had on her wrists.

"Let go, Paul. You're hurting me. Let go!" she said trying to get him to let go of her slowly numbing wrists, and fear saturating her words.

"You can't leave me, Angel. Remember that." He stated darkly before releasing her wrists roughly, causing her to fall to the floor and almost hit her head on the lockers.

He left the locker room after getting dressed. Angel just sat on the floor rubbing her sore wrists and hoping that Vince switched her WWE brand, TONIGHT! She couldn't deal with Paul being this way. She just needed to get away from him, soon; before something happened to her or her friends that he couldn't take back or make better. He was already killing her slowly inside; she didn't want him to really kill her. She had to get away before it was too late.

A.N. Sorry, again, to all Paul fans, but keep reading. I hope you like what comes next. Sorry to all Paul/Stephanie shippers, too. R&R, please. Bye.


End file.
